Postpartum Recovery

Giving birth may be the most momentous experience in a woman’s life. After waiting patiently for nine months, she now has the fruit of her womb to hold in her hands and to share with other loved ones. The pain of childbirth is worth it, just to hold the tiny life in her arms. In spite of the excitement, mom needs lots of rest and TLC. To assist the recovery, I have included a few suggestions that can aid in her healing.

Cayenne – Helps to regulate bleeding and control the intensity of after-pains. After-pains can be just as painful as labor contractions and may last for up to a week. Cayenne can work as an alternative to pain medication. With my last birth, I took 600 mg of Motrin for the first day and then tried Cayenne. I continued to have labor-like after-pains for 5 days. But, the cayenne really helped and I didn’t have to take the Motrin anymore.

Comfrey Tea – Use as a perineum wash instead of Betadine. Comfrey is especially good if you have torn during labor.

Sitz Bath – If you have a home birth, many birth kits come with a sitz bath package. They may include many other herbs in them as well.

Foods That are Easily Digested

Having foods prepared ahead of time will help to dissuade you from grabbing a box of crackers or a package of pre-made foods that have sugar and white flour. After having a baby, you want to make sure that foods are eliminated easily and will aid your recovery.

Korean Soup is the best option. The seaweed is full of helpful minerals and vitamins, including iron. The homemade broth is important to aid digestion and to hydrate your body as you begin to produce milk and replace fluids lost during birth. Also, the garlic acts as a natural anti-biotic and illness inhibitor. Did you know that there are no known forms of cancer that are resistant to garlic? Koreans will eat this soup for up to six weeks after giving birth. It is usually prepared by the mother or mother-in law for her daughter.

Another easily prepared food is pinto bean burritos made with sourdough whole wheat tortillas, which can be prepared ahead of time.

Drink a sufficient amount of water and/or nursing tea as you desire. I also enjoy fresh smoothies after birth.